1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to analog to digital converters, and more specifically, to analog to digital converters with low power control.
2. Related Art
Analog to digital converters (ADCs) are commonly used in processors where analog signals are present, such as automotive applications. For example, many measurements, such as temperature, are received as an analog signal and the processor must use or display that information digitally. Especially for applications involving a battery, which does include automotive applications, power savings is very important. One of the ways this is achieved is by operating the processor in a power savings mode when the processor is not actually performing desired functions. The processor, however, must be able to detect when it is time to come out of the power savings mode. Thus, the processor typically must be powered in some form in order to perform the determination that it is time to come out of the power savings mode. For an automotive application, for example, this cannot be predicted with any certainty. The time between uses can be measured in seconds or weeks. This is compounded by the various circuits that must be able to function in order to begin to come out of the power savings mode. Each of these circuits, including the ADCs, are potentially power consumers that can drain a battery.
Thus there is a need for a processor to utilize a power savings mode in which the circuits that it uses can reduce power consumption associated with the power savings mode.